There has been seen a sudden increase in fever, cold and cough due to hostile weather. In such a situation the pressure of patients is increasing in hospitals, along with the demand for essential medicines is also increasing. Doctors say, not only the coronavirus, but also the heat is beginning to take its toll. Because of this, fever-cold patients are increasing everywhere now.
On the other hand, house-to-house fever, colds and coughs have affected medicine. Due to demand, shortage of drugs like Napa, Napa Extra, H Plus, Napa Syrup and Paracetamol has also increased in price. An artificial crisis has been created in various districts including Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Pa Garh, Lalmonirhat of Rangpur. Businessmen claim that this is not an artificial crisis, but a temporary crisis has arisen due to insufficient supply from the company. In addition, fake and low-quality drugs are being sold in pharmacies to increase demand.
The National Directorate of Consumer Rights has fined five pharmacies in Rangpur 24,000 taka. These fines are imposed for selling napa syrup at higher prices, storing expired medicines and selling samples. Last Sunday afternoon, the National Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection conducted a raid in the Dhap Medical Junction area of Rangpur city. The operation was conducted by Assistant Director of Rangpur Divisional Office Mohammad Arif Miah. Rangpur Metropolitan Police cooperated in this. Rayhan Medicine, located on Dhap Jail Road in Abhiyan Nagar, was fined Tk 10,000 for the crime of selling napa syrup at a higher price than the prescribed price and selling sample medicine.
In the same area, Majidul Pharmacy was fined 3,000, Nabiam Pharmacy 5,000, Bhai Bhai Medicine and Surgical 5,000 taka and Alam Medicine 1,000 taka for selling expired and sample medicine in the same area. Mohammad Arif Miah, assistant director of Rangpur Divisional Office of Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection, said that such monitoring operations will continue in the interest of the public. He said, efforts are being made to inform and make aware the traders, buyers and sellers about the Consumer Rights Protection Act through miking, leaflet delivery.
It is known from research that almost every district and sub-district pharmacy of the department including Rangpur does not find medicines for fever-cold, cough-sneeze easily. Pharmacy owners have also increased the price on the pretext of demand. Paracetamol is being sold at high prices especially in neighborhood pharmacies. Somewhere there are allegations of creating artificial crisis against pharmacy owners.
Consumers complain that in the hope of profit, pharmacy-owners have created this artificial crisis and made common people suffer.
Nuru Mia of the city's Darshana area was traveling from one pharmacy to another for fever medicine H Plus. He visited several pharmacies and could not find the medicine. Rumi Begum said, "I came to get medicine for my seven-year-old son's fever, but I could not find medicine after visiting shops with demand letters in the city's Medical Junction area. But even after visiting several big pharmacies, they did not get enough medicine. Alpana Ritu, a person in Gangachara Bazar, complained, "Though fever-cold medicine is available in one or two pharmacies, but due to demand, they are selling it at higher prices." In fact, the administration should look into whether there is a shortage of drugs in the companies.
The owner of a pharmaceutical company at Jahaj Company Junction said on condition of anonymity that the incidence of fever, cold and cough has increased greatly. Companies are not able to supply our medicines compared to the demand. In particular, the demand for Napa Tablets, Napa Syrup, H Tablets and H Syrup has increased several times compared to any other time. For a few days each leaf is being sold at 10 taka. Earlier the price was eight taka. Besides, the prices of other paracetamol tablets have not increased. He said that Napa Extend is being sold at Tk 15 per page, G-Max at Tk 110 per page, H Plus at Tk 24 per page. However, the Rangpur representative of a pharmaceutical company said that the demand for medicine is increasing compared to the production due to fever in everyone's house. Due to which the supply in the market has decreased. Supply in the market will be normal by this month. Rangpur District Administration Executive Magistrate Tanuka Bhowmik said that legal action is being taken against those causing the drug crisis. Mentioning that the shortage of essential medicines is alarming in such a situation, he said, operations are being conducted against dishonest traders.
Acting Director of Rangpur Medical College and Hospital Dr. Md. Arshad Hossain said, currently not only Rangpur, but all over the country people of all ages including children are suffering from fever. It cannot be said that fever is caused only by weather. Because currently the rate of corona has increased. It would have been understood if Corona had been tested. But due to hostile weather, people are getting sick more.
